Wayne Ellington is a stud 3-point shooter who quietly had one of the best seasons of his career with the Miami Heat last season.
This series will take a look at each Miami Heat player’s shooting abilities and preferences, and where they can improve.
Wayne Ellington’s role in his eight seasons has been clear: come in and hit some 3’s. And he’s been darn good at it. Ellington has made 37.7 percent of his 3.1 3-point attempts per game throughout his career. Last season with the Miami Heat, Ellington had the green light, attempting 6.4 shots per game from beyond the arc (a career high, by far) and making them at a 37.8 percent clip.
Ellington earned another year in Miami, as the front office made it a priority to retain him and his partially guaranteed contract. It will be the first time since 2012 that Ellington will be on the same team two seasons in a row.
Next season, his role won’t change. Get open and take shots. He’ll likely come in off of the bench as one of Miami’s primary reserves, playing alongside either Goran Dragic or James Johnson. Johnson, in fact, assisted on more of Ellington’s shots (44) than any other Heat player last season.
Wayne Ellington killed it from the left corner last season. pic.twitter.com/QlAEwg0FC9
— All U Can Heat (@AllUCanHeat1) September 10, 2017
Ellington is among the best in the league shooting off screens. Last season, he made 41.4 percent of his shots off screens. He’s able to find his footing and get his shot off quickly. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will run some of the same motions he did years ago for Ray Allen.
While the Heat have several capable 3-point shooters, Ellington is the only player who they can run plays like this for consistently. It’s a big reason why Pat Riley, Andy Elisburg and Spoelstra found it so necessary to bring him back. His presence provides an outside shooting threat than cannot be ignored by opposing defenses, and space for Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters to drive to the basket.
Next: 3 Miami Heat lineups to look forward to for next season
There is no mystery to Ellington’s game. We know what he does, and we know he does it well. He’ll be an important component, and a dynamic element, to the Heat this upcoming season.